Collaborative project between Plaza Realty & Management, MHR Development, and Clocktower Close Condos earns 5th Annual Change Makers Award

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June 2019

Solar panels on the roof are expected to save up to $50,000 a year and $1.4 million in energy costs over 20 years, according to Mark Robbins of MHR Development.  As much as 75% of the school’s energy will be created by renewable energy, he said during a presentation for the Board of Education on Monday, June 10.

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May 2019

Solar panels are being installed on the roof of New Canaan Town Hall.  This is the first of five town roofs that will reap energy savings with the help of solar ... Robbins has spoken at town meetings and is behind the inspiration to get solar.  He said Wilton schools dropped the cost of energy by 81 percent by doing so.

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April 2019

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously approved two contracts that will see solar power systems installed on town buildings in New Canaan for the first time.  If all goes as planned, the new photovoltaic or ‘PV’ systems could be up and running at Town Hall, the Animal Care building at the New Canaan Nature Center, Waveny Pool house and Highway Department garage prior to next winter, officials said at the selectmen’s regular meeting.

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December 2018

The School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province are showing their commitment to ecological responsibility by establishing solar power at their complex on Belden Hill Road in Wilton Connecticut.  On December 17, 2018 they turned on their two solar arrays – a 122 kW ground-mounted system (Solar Garden) and a 37 kW roof-mounted system (on top of Lourdes Healthcare Center) – for the first time. Read more.

November 2018

The Parks & Recreation Commission unanimously supported a solar carport at its meeting Nov. 14.

It would be part of the town’s multi-building clean energy initiative. Solar panels are being considered for the roofs of a number of town-owned buildings, including Town Hall, the Department of Public Works Garage, the New Canaan Nature Center Animal Care Center, Fire Headquarters and Waveny Pool house.

October 2018

MHR's School Sisters of Notre Dame's project was honored October 16th 2018.  MHR provided consulting and project management services to complete a comprehensive energy efficiency project on their 38-acre campus in Wilton, Connecticut. The scope included envelope improvements, high-efficiency LED lighting, modulating steam boilers, water conservation measures, heat destratification, and two planned solar installations and two solar installations. 

August 2018

When you don’t own your roof, walls, or HVAC system, how can you improve energy efficiency or invest in renewables? The Tenant’s Triumph examines this question through the lenses of behavioral techniques and technical steps companies can employ. On August 17, 2018 MHR teamed up with the Institute for Market Transformation and and the Climate Collaborative to deliver this informative webinar. 

Humberto J. Rocha, New Canaan News | July 2018

NEW CANAAN — New Canaan could soon join neighboring Wilton and Darien in installing solar panels on town buildings.  Town officials are looking at five potential sites for the solar panels — town hall, the public works garage, the Waveny pool house, the fire station and the nature center animal care building. Read More.

Jeannette Ross, The Wilton Bulletin | July 2018

You might say the solar array at the School Sisters of Notre Dame was the result of foresight and divine inspiration.  “Earlier this month, the Vatican convened a meeting attended by executives from many of the largest global energy companies,” Caelie Haines, communications director for the congregation’s Atlantic-Midwest Province, said in a statement in June. Read More.

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Heather Borden Herve, Good Morning Wilton | June 2018

Installers are well on their way to completing Wilton’s first ground-mounted solar system, or solar field, at the School Sisters of Notre Dame‘s (SSND) 38-acre campus on Belden Hill Rd.. This project is the final component of SSND’s comprehensive energy project, and encompasses efforts to increase energy efficiency, reduce operational costs and generate renewable energy.  Read More.

Grace Duffield, New Canaan Advertiser | May 2018

New Canaan may soon be reaping energy savings by having solar panels installed on five town buildings: Town Hall, Fire Station, Transfer Station, Waveny Pool House, and the Nature Center. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan apprised his fellow selectmen on Tuesday, May 22, that he plans to sign an agreement with MHR Development to devise a plan.  Read More.

April, 2018

As part of Quinnipiac University's Earth Day Celebration, Mark Robbins presented to students and faculty. The lecture, Clean Energy Makeovers: A Crash Course in Building Sustainability, highlighted pertinent technologies and looked into applications of these technologies. 

Pat Tomlinson, The Hour | March, 2018

WILTON — When Wilton’s first large-scale solar arrays went live on Monday, it marked more than a big moment for the town; project leaders hope it will mark a turning point for the entire state.  The activation of solar panels at Middlebrook and Miller-Driscoll schools was the culmination of approximately two years of work for town officials, and they aren’t done yet.  Read More.

Jeannette Ross, The Wilton Bulletin | March, 2018

"The solar panels on the roofs of Miller-Driscoll and Middlebrook schools are just one step away from being put into service. Their installation has been approved by the town building inspector and Eversource gave permission for them to be energized on March 2." Read More.

February 7, 2018

MHR will host a panel at the annual Regional Conference for Sustainable Development. For more information and registration click here.

January 2018

The Clean Energy Business Network featured MHR's sustainability project at the School Sisters of Notre Dame campus in Wilton, CT. Check it out here. 

Tony Spinelli, Wilton Bulletin | August, 2017

"The ambitious solar project that could save the town $2.3 million over the next 20 years grew a bit August 15 when the Board of Selectmen approved a reimbursable deposit to include Wilton High School in the plan.  The selectman at their meeting in town hall authorized a town check of $4,268 to be paid to Eversource, the power company, as a deposit on the system of more than 100 panels that will be built on the roof of the high school and the field house."  Read More. 

Westport, Connecticut Government | June, 2017

"Westport, Conn. -- First Selectman Jim Marpe announced that he has joined over 1,200 U.S. governors, mayors, businesses, universities, and others pledging the town to meet and exceed the goals of the Paris climate agreement.  This specific pledge is sponsored by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Cities organization, which the Town of Westport has been working with since 2015 to benchmark it carbon emissions." Read More

Justin May, Energize CT | January, 2017

"Columbia Manufacturing recently teamed up with Eversource and MHR Development, LLC to identify operational inefficiencies and complete a number of energy efficiency improvements. As a result of the upgrades,  the company is expected to save more than $31,000 in annual energy cost savings, year-after-year for the lifetime of the improvements.  Since 1980, the Columbia, Connecticut-based manufacturer has provided CNC machining of components, sheet metal, and machined fabrications for the aircraft..." Read More. 

Pat Tomlinson, The Hour | December, 2016

"The Wilton Energy Commission is moving forward with the installation of solar panels at select schools around town after agreeing to hire a 'solar expert' to aid in the 'complicated' process, Chairperson Debra Van-Thompson said.  After considering up to seven firms for the role, the Energy Commission selected MHR Development, a local development firm that specializes in solar consulting.  Mark Robbins, a principle at MHR, already has a working relationship with members of the Energy Commission."  Read More. 

Kendra Baker, Wilton Bulletin | December, 2016

"The Wilton Energy Commission is looking to install solar panels on top of Miller-Driscoll School, Middlebrook School, and Wilton High School next summer as part of its new Municipal Solar Project.  At its December 19 meeting, the Board of Selectman approved the hiring of New Canaan-based clean energy development consultant MHR Development to help find and manage a vendor for the project." Read More. 

Tony Spinelli, Wilton Bulletin | August, 2016

"The School Sisters of Notre Dame are going solar.  'We don't have enough space to generate all the electricity we need, but we'll be able to reduce our electric bill,' said Alice Pisani, administrator of campus operations at the large complex on Belden Hill Road.  The convent has been operating in Wilton since 1961.  It houses 95 women religious plus another 40 at the Lourdes Health Care Center on 38 acres, in five buildings in a style of architecture they describe as 1950s modern." Read More. 

Pat Tomlinson, The Hour | July, 2016

"Flying cars, hoverboards, teleportation - when people think of the future, these are a few of the images conjured.  While none of these technologies seem particularly imminent, one of the energy sources of tomorrow may soon feature a prominent role in the town's future.  During a special meeting on Tuesday evening, the Board of Selectman unanimously voted in favor of posting the $9,680 performance assurance bond meant to secure the two medium-sized Zero Emission Renewable Energy Credit (ZREC) that makes the solar transition possible for Miller-Driscoll and Middlebrook schools." Read More

Gladys Rivera, Connecticut Green Bank | April, 2016

"The idea of implementing energy upgrades at the Niantic Community Church, in order to show environmental responsibility while saving money, began in 2013.  Angela Lomanto learned about financing opportunities for green energy upgrades with the Connecticut Green Bank. She brought the information for cost savings to the senior church leadership.  An ad hoc committee was formed in early 2014 to study proposals on energy upgrades and how they could benefit the church..." Read More

The Day | April, 2016

"Niantic Community Church has installed energy conservation equipment including new windows in the sanctuary, energy-efficient lighting throughout the building, lighting controls, and a 26kW solar PV system, using the Connecticut Green Bank's Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) Program.  Financing for 100 percent of the project was made possible through the program, Connecticut Green Bank announced Tuesday."  Read More

Kathy Reakes, Westport Daily Voice | February, 2016

"Earthplace, the Nature Discovery & Environmental Learning Center in Westport, has secured financing and is nearing completion of Phase II of an ambitious enterprise sustainability plan.  This latest upgrade, part of a multi-year effort, positions Earthplace as a regional energy conservation showcase for its 23,000 square-foot facility located on a 62-acre nature sanctuary in Westport.  While the first phase - completed in 2012 - focused on improving the energy efficiency of the building and installing the first 12w of solar..." Read More

Steve Hozan, Fairfield Patch | February, 2016

"The home of one of Bridgeport's largest jobs generators is fighting red with green!  Solar panels are currently being installed on nearly 28,000 square feet of roof at the Bridgeport Innovation Center.  The small business incubator is home to 160 small start-up businesses on its 10-acre, 300,000-square-foot campus.  Sam Pierpont says, "Our progress is thanks to generous and innovative financing from the State of Connecticut's Green Bank C-PACE program and Z-REC tax credits.  We had a number of talented teammates on this project: Mark Robbins of MHR Development,..." Read More

Chris Marquette, Westport News | January, 2016

"A haven for nature enthusiasts since it was established in 1958, Earthplace is spearheading an initiative to increase Westport's environmental sustainability through a clean energy upgrade.  In the second phase of a multi-year project, the nature center added 32kW of solar, heating system upgrades, and LED lighting.  The new measures are expected to result in a carbon footprint reduction of 40 tons per year, save 1,742 gallons yearly of heating oil, reduce grid electrical power 65 percent can cut particulate emissions by 40 percent." Read More

Jeff Eydt, The Hour | February, 2016

"The nature sanctuary and learning center Earthplace has secured financing and is nearing completion of the second phase of their ambitious enterprise sustainability plan.  The latest upgrade, part of a multi-year effort, positions Earthplace as a regional energy conservation showcase for its 23,000-square-foot facility situated on a 62-acre nature sanctuary on Woodside Lane in Westport.  'We are very excited about these upgrades to our facility as we look to create an energy conservation showcase,' said Tony McDowell..." Read More

Rich Binsacca, Ecohome | February, 2009

"Don't call Windermere on the Lake a subdivision.  In fact, with its single point of entry and dead-ended main arterial street, it breaks every rule in the traffic management handbook - and its creators wouldn't have it any other way.  'The site is a natural extension of what already exists in the surrounding community,' says developer Mark Robbins of the historic Long Ridge neighborhood of Stamford, Connecticut."  Read More

The Modern Home | November/December 2008

"In this issue of The Modern Estate, our guest columnist is Mark H. Robbins, president of the residential division of the National Realty and Development Corp., and a managing director at the company based in Purchase, New York.  Recently, one of four house styles at Windermere on the Lake, NRDC's 24-luxury-homes "eco-village" in Stamford, Connecticut - received LEED for Homes certification from the United States Green Building Council.  This house was designed by Bartels-Pagliaro Architects, LLC, of Norwalk, Connecticut."  Click the Picture to Read More

Real Estate Journal - New England | November, 2008

"Windermere on the Lake, a new "eco-village" featuring one of the northeast's first luxury LEED certified home, has won six HOBI awards from the Home Builders Association of Connecticut for its outstanding architectural design and innovative use of green technologies.  Windermere on the Lake won in the following six categories: Best Energy-Efficient Green Home, Best Energy-Efficient Green Community, Best Detached Home over 3,000 s/f,..." Click the Picture to Read More 

New Canaan Advertiser | November, 2008

"Windermere on the Lake, a new eco-village North Stamford featuring the Northeast's first luxury LEED-certified home, has won six HOBI awards from the Home Builders Association of Connecticut for its architectural design and use of state-of-the-art green technologies.  'We are delighted to have received these important awards from Connecticut's leading home building association,' said developer and New Canaan resident Mark. H. Robbins.  Windermere won in the following six categories: Best Energy-Efficient Green Home,..." Click on the Picture to Read More

Alexa Stevenson, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens | September, 2008

"Why did you choose landscape architecture?  I come from a farming background; the land was very important to us, and i've always loved architecture.  I've always been drawn to the relationship between the landscape and the architecture - what works and what doesn't.  The principle stimulus was that architectural interest and i've always loved plants and planting.  It's been a passion for as long as I can remember.  I turned an obsession into a profession.  Where did you study?  In London at the Chelsea Physic Garden at the English Gardening School." Click the Picture to Read More 

Real Estate Weekly | August, 2008

"The residential division of National Realty & Development Corp. has received LEED for Homes certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the sustainable land use design and green technologies featured at Windermere on the Lake, a new luxury eco-village the company is developing in North Stamford, Connecticut. Windermere on the Lake's Cumbria model residence is the first luxury home in the Northeast to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification." Click the Picture to Read More. 

Kimberly Nevas, New Canaan Advertiser | July, 2008

"Just how 'green' can an 8,000-square foot luxury home, complete with movie theater and wine cellar, actually be?  The answer: green enough to be the first house in Fairfield County certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program - a vigorous third-party evaluation process that encourages building to minimize waste, local and sustainable sourcing of materials, as well as all-around efficiency.  That title belongs to Cumbria, the first model home at Windermere on the Lake in North Stamford,..." Click on the Picture to Read More

Kristiana Glavin, New Canaan News | July, 2008

"A large home that's certifiably energy efficient - it might sound like a contradiction, but its being done at Windermere on the Lake, New Canaanite Mark Robbins is the developer overseeing the project.  A nearly 8,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home has earned certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system.  It is the first LEED-certified home in Windermere, but it shouldn't be the last.  Twenty-three more luxury 'green' houses are planned for the 74-acre conservation development..." Click the Picture to Read More

Professional Builder | July, 2008

"Emulating late 19th-century English Arts and Crafts design, this foyer welcomes guest to the Cumbria model at Windermere on the Lake in Stamford, Connecticut.  An interior window flanks the staircase, drawing light from the adjacent family room into the triple-height foyer.  All the homes at Windermere have extensive bays of casement windows that capture views of the park-like surroundings.  For inspiration, architect Roger Bartels looked to the work of C.F.A. Voysey, a leading architect of the Arts and Crafts movement in England." Click the Picture to Read More

Susan Nova, The Advocate Real Estate | May, 2008

"Windermere on the Lake off Erskine Road in North Stamford has its first model home on the market for $3.2 million, and more are under way.  The 74 acres of land will ultimately host 24 semi-custom homes in a residential design district.  The property showcases a 6-acre lake, several ponds, and extensive woodlands and meadows.  Of the land, 25 acres will be donated to the Stamford Land Conservation Trust..." Click the Picture to Read More

Erika Alexia Tsoukanelis, HOME Fairfield County | May, 2008

"William Wordsworth was inspired to write his famous poem “I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud” by a

great belt of blooming daffodils that he came upon while walking in the bucolic Lake District of England.  Many artists and writers over the centuries have been moved by the same rolling landscape, and the blueprint for Windermere on the Lake in North Stamford, Connecticut, was similarly inspired by this picturesque area.  England’s Lake District is a cluster of villages well-known for their Arts and Crafts style of architecture and integrated landscape."  Click the Picture to Read More

Pam Dawkins, Connecticut Post | May, 2008

"Building green requires more than a few solar panels.  At its most elaborate, it's a process that starts well before a hammer even hits a nail, when architects, builders, and developers choose the materials, mechanicals, and placement of a building to maximize energy efficiency while minimizing its impact on the environment.  There's even a system - Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Green Building Rating System - to measure a building's green-ness."  Click the Picture to Read More

Lisa Prevost, The New York Times | April, 2008

"The steeply sloped cedar-shingled roof of the model home at Windermere on the Lake shelters roughly 7,000 square feet of living space, a respectable amount of room in this privileged suburban corridor between Pound Ridge, N.Y., and Darien.  The house has five bedrooms and four baths, as well as fancy features like a home theater, wine cellar and mirrored exercise room.  It is the first of 24 homes planned for a development named after an area in the English Lake District, and built in a style meant to evoke 19th-century English country houses." Read More

Katherine Dykstra, New York Post | April, 2008

"Etta Kantor and her husband, Nate, are going for the gold. No, they aren't training for the Olympics. They're hoping to get Gold LEED certification for their under-construction, $1.5 million, four-bedroom, 41⁄2-bath Adirondack- style house in New Canaan, Conn.  LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a national voluntary rating system that recognizes energy-efficient, healthy homes. Some 500 newly constructed homes nationwide have been LEED-certified, and another 11,400 are awaiting designation." Click the Picture to Read More

Doug Dalena, The Advocate | September, 2007

"After years of debate and planning about the future of the vacant Old Town Hall, the city has secured a tenant for the century-old landmark, officials confirmed yesterday.  National Realty and Development Corp,. a developer and owner of retail, office, and residential real estate, and owner of the Lord & Taylor and Linens & Things retail chains, will have about 80 employees in the Beaux Arts building in spring 2009, Economic Development Director Michael Freimuth said yesterday. That will require completion of a $16 million renovation and addition." Click the Picture to Read More 

Eleanor Charles, The New York Times | June, 2005

"Tapping into a seemingly inexhaustible Fairfield County condo market, Fairfield Residential L.L.C., a company based in Dallas and San Diego with a portfolio of 147 joint ventures worth $1.2 billion, has proposed what would be the largest condominium development in Norwalk.  It is to be situated at the Norwalk-Westport line and has tentatively been named Fairfield Green.  The developer specializes in master-planned communities in upscale suburbs from the Southwest to the Northeast. Prices in Norwalk would range from $500,000 to $1.5 million." Read More